The Adrian Peterson show that is the Minnesota Vikings travels to Texas on Sunday as the 2-3 Vikings face he 5-1 Dallas Cowboys, who are coming off a home rout by New England; Dallas is a 9.5-point favorite on WagerWeb.com.
Yet as good as Peterson has been (he'll easily be the NFL Rookie of the Year), the reason the photo accompanying this story is of Minnesota QB Tarvaris Jackson is because the Vikings' chances in this game rely mostly on the second-year quarterback.
First, though, more about Peterson. Last week, the No. 7 pick in this year's draft had 361 all-purpose yards (third in NFL history), including a franchise-record 224 yards on 20 carries, as the Vikings upset the Bears. Peterson, who didn't even lead the Vikings in carries last week yet had TD runs of 67, 73 and 75 yards, leads the league with 607 yards rushing and in yards per carry (6.3).
"I just got comfortable, more comfortable with the speed of the game," said Peterson, a Texas native. "I knew anything was possible."
"I sound like a broken record, but he is just happy to be contributing and being a viable part of this team and this organization and just finding ways that he can contribute. It's extremely refreshing," Vikings coach Brad Childress said.
Peterson will face a Dallas defense, however, that is sixth in the NFL in run defense, allowing only 79.7 yards per game and only two rushing touchdowns.
And that's what makes the Vikings' QB so vital on Sunday, because while the Cowboys run defense has been strong - and make no doubt Dallas will stack eight in the box to stop Peterson - the pass defense has been suspect, allowing an NFC-worst 11 passing touchdowns.
"If they are smart, that is what they will do, throw all those guys in the box," said Jackson."
However, Jackson has been very inconsistent for Minnesota. Coming off missing two games with an injury, Jackson was 9 of 23 for 136 yards against Chicago (he has 465 passing yards and two TDs compared to five INTs this season).
"You just want to be able to make plays, too," Jackson said. "You don't want to be that guy that holds the team back."Dallas is coming off that deflating 48-27 loss to New England in which the Cowboys committed 12 penalties, allowed five Tom Brady touchdowns and surrendered the most points since they had since Nov. 15, 2004.
The Vikings have been stellar against the run and questionable against the pass, much like Dallas.
Minnesota allows 288 yards passing a game, with three teams throwing for at least 338 (an NFC-high 1,442 yards total). But the Vikings are the league's second-ranked rushing defense, allowing only 66 yards rushing a game, and always less than 100. They have yet to allow a rushing touchdown.
"Teams are dropping back 45-50 times against you, you really don't look at the yards you give up. You want to look at the points," cornerback Antoine Winfield said.
So will Tony Romo, who leads the NFC with 15 TD passes, be airing it to Terrell Owens and Co. on Sunday?
"I still think you have to run the ball," Cowboys coach Wade Phillips insisted. "If you just throw it every down, there is the possibility you could have four interceptions and that can hurt you and get you beat."
Romo agrees.
"You can run right at them, but you're not going to get anything," Romo said. "We're going to do what we do, try to establish the run, see how it happens and we'll go from there."
However, the duo of Julius Jones and Marion Barber has totaled only 163 yards in the past two games.
The lowdown: Here's an interesting stat - Dallas has lost its past six regular season home games to the Vikings, going back to 1966. And Childress knows the Cowboys fairly well going back to his Eagles coordinator days. Still, don't expect a Minnesota victory here. You can bet Peterson will still get his fair share of touches, however, and Minnesota should be able to cover.
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